Classic Poison
by LadyLady
Summary: Four looks at 10051, or ByaShou. Contains: language, BL, blood, death, angst. As of now AU
1. Aconite

Shoichi Irie is two years old when he reads his first book. His older sister is five years old and threw down a book from school in fury, crying that it was far too hard and wouldn't her mother help her, please?

When dinner comes, Shoichi is seen dragging the book to the dinner table, waddling. His sister laughs at the sight, and his mother thinks it is adorable.

Shoichi is too young to know that Daddy is never home.

During dinner, Shoichi looks at the book and begins reading the simple sentences.

_ "There once was a boy…"_

Shoichi Irie is ten years old when he first learns how to stop crying. Daddy is home, and his sister isn't and his mom is yelling at his father for missing Shoichi's award ceremony.

It was a silly little award. Something about mathematical achievements. Shoichi has a whole shelf or two (or three or four or five or none since they're all thrown in the back of his closet, hidden so he never has to see them) of awards. He's old enough to know that Mommy is yelling for him, or even about him.

Shoichi is old enough to stop crying, because if Daddy isn't home ever, if Daddy is always working, Shoichi has to be a big boy and help Mommy. And so Shoichi stopped crying and tries to be ever-so-helpful. He cleans, he shops, he washes his sister's clothes and picks up the apartment.

And he studies. He doesn't go out much; he just studies to make sure he's the smartest and least-troublesome kid ever so that Mommy can do whatever she wants.

"_And he was so very alone…."_

Shoichi is twelve years olds when his mother forgets his name for the first time. His sister is sitting in the kitchen, reading some gossip magazine, his father is overseas doing something very important and his mother is gabbing on the phone.

"My daughter! All she does it talk and talk on the phone and go out with her boyfriend!" His mother complains lightheartedly. "Honestly, I don't know what to do!"

His sister spares a glance to their mother, before scoffing.

"Oh? Shotaro? Why, he's so quiet I don't understand that boy. All he does is sit in his room and study!"

(and cook and clean and shop and wash and dry and run and sleep and eat and never sleep he can't sleep anymore)

His mother makes a pained expression. "Shoichi, I mean. His name is Shoichi! Shotaro…why, I don't know why I said that!" His mother laughs before talking about some horrid mistake made by a woman on last night's special.

"_This lonely boy met an evil wizard one day…"_

Shoichi is fifteen years old and just losing his baby fat when he meets Byakuran. It's a hot summer day and his sister is at her boyfriend's family's house in Kyoto and his mother is out with a friend and his father is somewhere in China doing something no doubt very important.

Shoichi is the number one student in Japan, the smartest, the one with the highest score and his mother never forgets his name anymore. His sister is jealous, so jealous that she stole his school uniform and burnt it but Shoichi will never know that and just thinks he misplaced it.

It's a hot day out, and Shoichi would love to be somewhere with friends, somewhere near water and watermelons and fireworks but he doesn't have friends so he's in a suit accepting an award for his research on orchids.

Shoichi doesn't really care about flowers, but it was something that would make his mother proud so he spent three months learning about orchids and their medical uses.

Shoichi has learned that orchids are really a type of weeds. That as beautiful and delicate looking as they are they choke **(choke) **up all the surrounding plants.

An odd foreigner greets him after the ceremony, while scientists are toasting Shoichi then ignoring him, leaving him to stand in a corner, smiling forcibly.

"Do you like flowers, Shou-chan?"

Shoichi thinks the foreigner must not be very familiar with Japanese. His accent is passable, but he must not really understand the nuances of it, that he's not a child and that being called 'chan' is rather girly.

So, Shoichi doesn't bother correcting him, and just smiles. "Not really. It was a contest, and I had nothing else to do." Shoichi laughs a little, a cheerful social laugh that really means nothing except that there is nothing to talk about.

"My name is Gesso Byakuran. I actually know a few things about flowers myself…"

"_And, the boy was an orphan. The wizard took the boy in…"_

Shoichi is sixteen years old when he comes home from school, excited to tell everyone that he made a friend, a real life friend whose name he now forgets. He is sixteen years old when he cheerfully walks in to the apartment, whistling a tune.

Mother is home, sister is home and Daddy is home for his birthday, the first time in years. And Shoichi is so excited that he almost forgets to breath, opening the door.

There isn't a lot of blood. Whoever killed them was quick about it, just slicing their throats and throwing the bodies on a pile. There isn't that much blood, but there is some and its staining the snow-white carpet that Shoichi had cleaned yesterday getting ready for his birthday and cake and presents and Daddy and Shoichi screams so loud that he's not screaming, just his mouth open not breathing.

He falls on the floors, sliding boneless against the wall. Shoichi is hysterical, panting and murmuring things.

(why, and how, and who, and when and what and this isn't fair it's his **birthday **and he's sixteen, Happy Birthday but the cake hasn't been cooked yet since he was planning on doing it as soon as he got home and it was chocolate, everyone else's favorite)

"_And the boy loved the wizard, for he was so kind to the boy…"_

Shoichi is eighteen years old and he is fluent in Italian. He's lived here for two years now, and doesn't often have to speak Japanese anymore.

Somehow, he ended up living with Byakuran, who tells him he's a scientist of sorts, and a business man of less-then reputable means. Shoichi doesn't question it much, because he's rather thankful to Byakuran.

Byakuran, who saved him from greedy aunts who wanted to brag that they had the smartest child (not a kid anymore) living under their roofs, and wanted to be called "Mother". Byakuran, who saved him from odd whispers about the poor little orphan genius boy and gave him a blessed anonymous life in this country where everyone drinks wine and where there is no one talking in fast-harsh Japanese on phones, but in smooth Italian only.

Byakuran, who kisses him each night before he goes to bed and often comes with him to his bed; not his futon because this isn't Japan anymore. This is Italy.

In Italy, the monsters do not lie under the beds because they are far too beautiful. The monsters sleep on beds.

"_And the boy never noticed the wizard was slowly killing him…"_

Shoichi is twenty-one years old when he first learns exactly what it is that Byakuran does.

He doesn't care because it is Byakuran who is doing it, and that means that everything is fine. It doesn't matter that what he's now researching will kill his former neighbor.

Shoichi doesn't care, and just pulls Byakuran down to bed.

"_One day, the boy left to find the wizard some herbs for a spell…"_

Shoichi is twenty-two years old when he goes back to Japan, back to his old neighborhood. A stone's throw, really.

There is no Byakuran, except on television screens and embarrassing flower messages that scare Shoichi because if he knows one thing, it's that he doesn't know what Byakuran means.

"_An enemy of the wizard killed the boy, and the wizard who had been living on the boy's energy died."_

There is so much blood this time, and Tsuna, the one he knew in Japan, is saying sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry, I'll make sure this never happens and Shoichi wants to kill Tsuna for saying that.

Shoichi is twenty-three years old when he dies, and all he can think of is the scenarios that are going to plague Byakuran now. And for the first time since Shoichi was ten…

He cries.

"_The End"_


	2. Hellebore

Shoichi splashes water on his face and looks reluctantly at the mirror, expecting to see dark circles and mussed hair.

He's rather sure that the dark circles are there as well as the messy hair but for some reason his mirror has decided that it wants to be his boss when it grows up.

He screams, topples backwards and tumbles on the floor rather ungracefully and wonders when the hell did Byakuran install a computer screen in Shoichi's personal bathroom without him noticing?

"Good morning Sho-chan!" The Byakuran-screen smiles in that creepy "I probably just killed your mother" way of his. "Or is it good night?"

"It's three in the morning, Byakuran-sama. I just finished up with that report and according to it -"

"Ahaaa, so serious! Did you sleep at all yesterday, Sho-chan?"

_No, I did not you psychopathic bastard! I was busy doing the insane amount of work you gave me_ _and I __**know**__ you have cameras on me at all times!_ Shoichi thinks crossly before politely excusing himself "I got caught up in research, Byakuran-**sama**. I was planning on catching up on some sleep now, so if you'll excuse me..?"

Shoichi hoped that his superior would take the hint. Shoichi was in love with that hope, he wanted to marry it, have kids with it and grow old with the hope that Byakuran would leave him alone.

Unfortunately for Shoichi, hope is a bitch that dumps him, takes the kids and now lives alongside the socks Shoichi can never find. Or worse: maybe Byakuran did take the hint, but decided to fuck it all while talking cheerfully about something twisted.

"Oh, but I want to talk to you, Sho-chan!" Byakuran says cheerfully, and Shoichi has the suspicion he just finished screwing an underling.

In the plaza.

….Again.

Probably got himself arrested, too, now that Shoichi thinks about it apathetically. This, of course, means there will be too much paperwork tomorrow as Shoichi bribes government officials to overlook the mysterious vanishing of yet **another** holding facility in Italy.

Shoichi sighs and turns to his superior, respectfully as he can while imagining a half naked Byakuran destroying a building by some nefarious means.

He succeeds at this, but only because of the amount of massive practice.

Which, actually, now that Shoichi thinks about it sounds massively **wrong**. Massive amounts of practice about thinking of Byakuran naked? That honor can go the other perverts who seem to think that it's sketchy that either other day the hangar is filled with flowers from …another man known for his deviancy.

"Sho-chan, what are you thinking about?" Byakuran whines, sounding for a moment like a five year old who wants to go home. Then, Byakuran being Byakuran, his tone changes rapidly. "I've sent over a member of the Black Squad with new information. He's disposable, and I'd rather the information he has never gets out."

Shoichi doesn't blink. He cried the first time he killed someone, spent the night vomiting the second time and had nightmares the third. Killing, while still not enjoyable, has gotten considerably easier. "Would you rather the Cervello not get involved, Byakuran-sama?"

Byakuran shakes his head, "It doesn't matter either way."

Then Byakuran tilts his neck to peer at Shoichi, like the younger man is some type of exotic flower that's either too beautiful or too hideous to fully appreciate.

Or maybe Shoichi's just thinking that because Byakuran scares the **crap** out of him and Shoichi knows enough of Byakuran to know that there are 1,000,23 ways that the older man could kill him **with his mind**.

Or, you know, just order someone to do it. But Byakuran liked adding his own personal touches to things.

Like murder.

Or arson.

Or a thousand other felonies that were illegal pretty much anywhere, even the places where pigs were considered brides.

"You didn't answer my question, Irie." Byakuran smiles pleasantly, but at the same time Shoichi's blood runs cold.

_I didn't answer your question because if I do, you will slaughter me. Or send friggen' red roses to Japan again – do you know how much that costs?_

"Just about finances, Byakuran-sama. Nothing to concern yourself with, sir."

"Sho-chan is so dependable."

"Thank you. Now, if I could go to sleep….?"

"You aren't going to sleep are you?" It almost sounds like Byakuran cares. But Shoichi knows that lunatics may care for others, it is the type of care given to a pet. And since lunatics are known for killing small animals, well, let's just say Shoichi has a reason to be scared enough to not lie.

"W-well, I came across a lead regarding a possible way to lethalize - "

"Shut up."

Shoichi shuts up, and almost giggles at the absurdity. Byakuran is in Italy, talking to him in the bathroom.

And still, Shoichi is terrified.

**And the little boy laid with the wolf, for he was so very tired. And the wolf loved the little boy very much during the spring, the summer, the fall. But when winter came, the wolf became hungry. The wolf became very hungry.**


	3. Hemlock

When Byakuran kisses him, it burns.

Not figuratively, not like how the harlequin romances the Cervello are fond of, describe kisses. Not like a pleasant warmth that makes him feel safe. When Byakuran kisses him, it feels like Shoichi sipped hot tea too fast, like he accidentally clamped an iron on his lips or like he swallowed hemlock. Byakuran's kisses are like swallowing fire with no prior training, like being stuck in a burning home.

Shoichi isn't an expert regarding sex – after all, he never leaves his job and there is no way he'd be with one of the Cervello; something about that seems just wrong.

More wrong the Byakuran? the little voice that still is sane asks.

Perhaps. But probably not. You probably can't get anything worse then Byakuran.

Byakuran is not a nice man, and he's not playing with a full deck of cards. But that doesn't change that Byakuran is a beautiful man, with ideals for a new world and more delicious power then anyone Shoichi has ever met.

Byakuran is delicious in his insanity. The masochist in Shoichi loves how rough the other man can be while still smiling as if talking to a small child.

The sane part of Shoichi, the part that screams "Bad idea! Bad idea!" every time Shoichi wanders to Byakuran's bed (or couch or floor or wall or car or desk or chair or bookcase or crates) can't stop Shoichi from blushing like a virginal girl every time Byakuran calls. Sanity can't stop Shoichi from getting all blustery whenever the Milliefore boss is involved. The sanity Shoichi has left doesn't stop him from giving up ten minutes to look into what exactly each flower, each stem means whenever he gets a new bouquet (s) .

Nothing about Byakuran is sane. Shoichi vomited when he first _saw_ a murdered body. Byakuran licked the blood that had splattered on his face and kissed Shoichi dramatically with blood-lust still in his eyes after _killing_ a man.

It's so sick; it's so wrong. But Shoichi's gotten used to dead bodies in a way he never thought could happen and he's even gotten used to kisses that taste like copper.

When they're together its roses and candles but it only takes a little while to learn that roses have thorns and that candles can burn if you make a mistake.

Shoichi's made plenty of mistakes. He's made lists and he's analyzed them. He's good at that; seeing trends no one else notices. Shoichi is good at seeing the little things that don't really matter except they do and that's what makes him so damn dangerous.

Shoichi doesn't smoke. He doesn't drink; he doesn't do heroin but who said drugs have to be chemicals?

Byakuran is a sort of drug, a drug like caffeine. Byakuran is what keeps Shoichi up at night, a boogey man if he's absent and if he's not?

Only a fool sleeps with his back to the devil.

Shoichi doesn't lie to himself. Byakuran is amazing. He's got these beautiful dreams, these beautiful eyes.

When they kiss, even if it tastes of flowers and decay, Shoichi knows that there is love in the kiss.

When they fuck, when they talk, when they breathe Shoichi knows that there is love. How can there not be?

Byakuran is the monster under his bed, Shoichi thinks.

But ever since Shoichi was thirteen he's been fascinated by the sort of monsters that disguise themselves so beautifully


End file.
